Walther Rathenau

Walther Rathenau (29 September 1867-24 June 1922) was Foreign Minister of Germany from 1 February to 24 June 1922, interrupting Joseph Wirth's terms. He was a German Democratic Party member.

Biography
Walther Rathenau was born in Berlin, Prussia in 1867 to a Jewish family. In 1899 he joined the board of the electrical conglomerate AEG, and became its chairman in 1915. He joined the left-liberal German Democratic Party, which was one of the supporters of the Weimar Republic, in 1918, becoming a financial adviser to the government which he represented, for example, in the negotiations for the Treaty of Versailles. He was Minister for Reconstruction in 1921, after which he became increasingly involved in foreign policy. As Foreign Secretary from 1 February 1922 he concluded the Treaty of Rapallo with the Russian SFSR, whereby the two countries would resume diplomatic relations and renounce any claims for reparations arising from World War I. The treaty was heavily criticized by Britain and France, but for Germany and Russia it was a step out of diplomatic isolation. Owing to his Jewish origins, Rathenau was murdered by members of the same far-right Organisation Consul which had previously killed Matthias Erzberger.